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Ecuador’s Hidden Valleys–Right on Quito’s Doorstep

“As we descended into the valley the netherworld fog that enveloped Quito melted away revealing gorgeous green foliage and multi-colored flowers of every shade and hue. Brilliant flat-leafed bromeliads, silver-hued orchids and bright, tiny orange geraniums lined the road,” writes Suzan Haskins in the May issue of International Living magazine.

In the valleys to the east of Ecuador’s capital Quito, Suzan and her husband Dan Prescher were on a mission to explore beyond the city…

And what they found impressed them.

Jaw-dropping views and remarkable value for your dollars are just two of the attractions here.

But it’s still quintessential Ecuador, where tidy town plazas are anchored by centuries-old Spanish-colonial churches and whole roast pigs or cuy (guinea pig) smolder on the rotisseries of side-street restaurants.

And the real estate comes at Ecuadorian prices, too. This is where Quito’s middle and upper classes come to live—the most popular addresses. Yet you’ll find homes here for just $80,000…or pick up a 5,500-square-foot lot in the heart of the valleys for $35,000.

But Ecuador’s enchanting valley havens are just one of the reminders in this month’s issue that, with both eyes open and opportunity in mind, the world is your oyster.

The powder-white sands, clear blue waters and tranquil island life of the Caribbean might seem like an out-of-reach retirement, but for just a $1,000 a month Gary Pierce and his wife Julie retired to their very own Caribbean sailboat.

This month Gary reveals how they did it, just how easy it is, and lays out how you can do it, too. “I knew nothing about sailing or anything nautical,” he writes, “but that wasn’t going to stop me.”

When Jody Hanson landed in Santiago, Chile, it took her just a few hours to find her apartment and start a new life. Now, a year later, she writes that “Chile offers you just about everything. And it does it with a smile. It’s one of the safest, most politically stable countries in South America with a well-established middle-class, good medical facilities and a well-developed infrastructure.”

In this month’s issue Jody reveals why Chile is South America for beginners…one of the easiest places to touch down on the continent.

Plus, she writes, “It’s beautiful and possibly the most diverse place you’ll ever go. Watch the penguins play on the glacial fields of the south, head for the sandy beaches along the coast, go to the ski fields high in the Andes or visit the driest desert in the world…”

Jody isn’t the only expat in this month’s issue seeking out new frontiers. You’ll find firsthand stories from readers who’ve jumped into new lives in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize… but none in a “mainstream” expat destination.

Our travel coverage this May takes you off the tourist trail, too. Leave the Riviera behind and you’ll find welcome authenticity in southern France…see Asia from a train for an unrivalled, Old-World travel experience…and discover Scotland not with guidebook in hand, but with a glass of whisky instead…